Grade 1

Observing Weather Over Time taps into the first graders’ strong curiosity as they begin to understand the relationship between weather and seasons. By collecting information to examine questions like “Why do seasons change?” and “How many rainy days are there in winter as compared to spring?”Students build knowledge of how the seasons and weather change over a year.

Key activities include:

• Examining cloud formations on different days, paying close attention to cloud color and connection to weather.

This unit builds on a first grader’s fascination with living creatures and the desire to know “why”. Students will observe, compare and contrast different life cycles such as: a praying mantis going through metamorphosis, the germination of lima beans, and painted lady butterflies laying eggs. The final unit explores the idea that items we use daily also have a life cycle.

What is air? What makes the wind blow? First graders learn about the air around them through direct experimentation. Students will work to solve problems by tracking information, testing and confirming their ideas.

Key activities include:

• Exploring air by trapping it in a Ziploc bag and squeezing it, blowing it up with a straw, putting books on top of it and discovering how many books can be lifted by air.

• Working as a team to submerge a paper towel in a vial in water in a way that will prevent the paper towel from getting wet.

• Using syringes to push air from one tube to another.

By the end of the unit, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding that air has pressure, strength and can squeeze into smaller spaces.

• Use vocabulary associated with properties of air and instruments used by meteorologists.

• Show basic understanding of air pressure, air strength and air’s ability to squeeze into small spaces.
Sound & Light Mini UnitUnit OverviewThis unit is designed to have students explore sound and light through open-ended experiences. They observe and experiment with creating sounds and investigate lights and shadows. They use their observations to discuss patterns in the properties of light and sound. Finally, they use their newfound knowledge to design and build a device to send a signal.